![Page 1: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Mineral Identification
![Page 2: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Color
• Most notable characteristic
• Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds
• Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:– Different mineral can have same color– Same mineral can have different color
![Page 3: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
![Page 4: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Luster
• the way a mineral reflects light
• can be either metallic or non metallic
• if non metallic it can be dull, pearly, waxy or silky.
![Page 5: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
![Page 6: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Streak
• the color of the powder left behind when a mineral is rubbed on a streak plate.
• Does not always match the minerals color
• Minerals streak stays constant, even if weathered.
![Page 7: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
![Page 8: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Hardness
• the measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched
• one of the most useful ways of identifying a mineral
• use Moh’s scale of hardness
![Page 9: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
![Page 10: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Cleavage
• a mineral that breaks relatively easily, along even planes is considered to have cleavage
![Page 11: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
![Page 12: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Fracture
• minerals that break with rough or jagged edges have fracture
![Page 13: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/geology/grocha/mineral/cleavage.html
![Page 14: Mineral Identification. Color Most notable characteristic Caused by presence of trace elements or compounds Least reliable way to identify a mineral because:](https://reader031.vdocuments.mx/reader031/viewer/2022032607/56649ec85503460f94bd4869/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Special properties
• Calcite – double refraction & fizzes w/ HCl
• Magnetite – magnetic
• Sulfur – smells like rotten eggs
• Halite – salty taste